LOOSE 19 June 2026
“Feels so good, to do what you want, when you never should” sing The Hanging Stars but their dreams are less transgressive than the lyric suggests, with what they want to do being a pastel haze of jangly guitars and relationships. The music is ever-sweet and runs with the Teenage Fanclub / Big Star / Byrds pack, giving off classic guitar-pop vibes, kinda sixties, kinda indie; stepping between laid back meditations, groovy psych-tinged numbers and poppy love songs. ‘(Keep On) making Me Wait’ combines “pa-pa-pa-pa” backing vocals, sweet vocal melody, stuttering feedback and crashing rhythm. There’s a great voice to the guitar melodies and a warm organ sound amidst the percussive drive of the guitars. Warm bass notes keep pulling the listener’s heart into the songs.
It’s their sixth album and there is a sense that the band have a coherent vision of their sound; plenty varied but sonically cut from the same bolt of cloth. Recorded at Edwyn Collins’ studio, some magic may have rubbed off and the vocal harmonies work as well as the meshing guitars, creating a warmly accessible yet never-dull set. Gerard Love, of Teenage Fanclub worked with the band on arrangements and production and it shows in the polished result. It doesn’t hurt that guitarist, Patrick Ralla, plays in Edwyn Collin’s band and that helps tie the sound into a uniquely British sound.
The Hanging Stars successfully fuse classic rock, slacker feel, jangle and pop into a satisfying package.
Ross McGibbon